North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a country located in East Asia. It shares a border with China to the north and northwest, Russia to the northeast, and South Korea to the south. North Korea covers an area of about 120,000 square kilometers and has a population of around 25 million people.

The country has a highly centralized government that is controlled by the Workers' Party of Korea, and its leader is Kim Jong-un. North Korea has been under heavy economic sanctions for its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its human rights abuses.

The country's economy is largely state-controlled, and its main industries include mining, agriculture, and manufacturing. The country has limited natural resources and relies heavily on foreign aid and trade.

Tourism in North Korea is heavily restricted, and the government only allows a limited number of tourists to enter the country each year. Visitors are closely monitored and are required to be accompanied by government-approved guides at all times. Some of the main attractions in North Korea include the capital city of Pyongyang, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea, and the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, which houses the embalmed bodies of former leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

Telephone Code
850

Local Emergency Phone
Local numbers only

Vaccinations
See WHO recommendations

Climate
Temperate, with rainfall concentrated in summer; long, bitter winters

Currency (Code)
North Korean won (KPW)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
220 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C

Major Languages
Korean

Major Religions
Traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)

Potable Water
Opt for bottled water

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Right

Tourist Destinations
Complex of Koguryo Tombs

Major Sports
Soccer, basketball

Cultural Practices
North Korean authorities carefully track and monitor foreign travelers in the country.

Tipping Guidelines
For an extended tour, guides expect 10-30 euros and drivers 10 euros per traveler.

Souvenirs
Stamps and postcards, propaganda posters, obsolete currency, watch movements, panacea teas

Traditional Cuisine
Kimchi raengmyŏn — long, thin handmade noodles made from the flour and starch of various ingredients such as buckwheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, arrowroot starch, or kudzu, and beef or poultry broth; typically served cold

Geography
Area
total: 120,538 sq km
land: 120,408 sq km
water: 130 sq km

Climate
temperate, with rainfall concentrated in summer; long, bitter winters

Natural resources
coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, precious metals, hydropower

People and Society
Population
26,072,217 (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups
racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese

Languages
Korean

Religions
traditionally Buddhist and Confucian, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)

Population growth rate
0.44% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
dictatorship, single-party state; official state ideology of "Juche" or "national self-reliance"

Capital
name: Pyongyang

Economy
Economic overview
one of the last centrally planned economies; hard hit by COVID-19, crop failures, international sanctions, and isolationist policies; declining growth and trade, and heavily reliant on China; poor exchange rate stability; economic data integrity issues

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$40 billion (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$1,700 (2015 est.)

Agricultural products
rice, maize, vegetables, apples, potatoes, cabbages, fruit, sweet potatoes, beans, soybeans

Industries
military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism

Exports
$222 million (2018)

Exports - partners
China 67%, Suriname 6% (2019)

Exports - commodities
watch components, fake hair, iron alloys, instructional models, tungsten (2019)

Imports
$2.32 billion (2018 est.)

Imports - partners
China 96% (2019)

Imports - commodities
clothing and apparel, soybean oil, rice, wheat products, clocks/watches (2019)